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Health & Fitness

Glad We Don't Have to Deal With Teardowns Anymore ...

Have we solved the problem of historic teardowns? Maybe not.

The main pillar of the Geneva economic engine is our Historic District. Creating a memorable shopping experience is what every retailer strives for these days, and the Historic District gives our shop owners a leg up. 

There is a symbiotic relationship between retail businesses and single-family homes in the Historic District. As the retail demand grew, single-family homes near Third Street were rezoned, which generally increased all values throughout the district. How we manage the Historic District will impact both homeowners and business owners alike.

Several factors will influence Geneva’s economic health:

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  • Population migration and our carbon footprint — Ironically an article in the Friday Herald about the recent census indicates that growth has leveled off in the suburbs, citing the increased awareness of our carbon footprint and energy costs. Living out here in Geneva means you’re wearing a size 14 to begin with, having an older historic home probably means you’re wearing clown shoes. That is not going to be sustainable in light of the trends in energy cost and carbon use awareness.
  • Home ownership, really? — After the Depression in the 1930s, people who had lost money in banks thought that their mattress was a safer place.  It took decades for the FDIC to reverse that mindset. Until five years ago, the accepted advice was “buy as much house as you can afford, it’s your best investment." How’s that working out for you? Homeownership is no longer the most important goal of the generation after me.
  • Modern family with modern conveniences — Living in a historic home means some sacrifice, whether it is the time and cost to maintain it or the lack of conveniences when compared to new homes. Home builders are figuring out how to attract buyers. They are using more technology, not only in the construction process for energy efficiency and low maintenance etc., but in the final product with conveniences. For a family with two wage earners and active children, the quality of life is substantially different when comparing a 150-year-old home and a new one.
  • State of the state: Where is everyone going? — I do remember feeling pride in saying I lived in Illinois. I thought Illinois represented my personal values, work ethic and integrity. We have two governors in prison, a pension system that is $85 billion underfunded, $8.5 billion in unpaid bills and a puppeteer behind the curtain who doesn’t think he is at least partially responsible. Companies based in Illinois, like Caterpillar and Kraft, have moved production outside of Illinois recently. The trend will continue.
  • Canary in a coal mine — Joe Stanton is just closer to the realities of our situation than we are. 

With the last City Council vote, we seem to have put the issue to rest, or are we  just ignoring the reality? In light of the economic and cultural issues facing us, it is doubtful that we can sustain the entire Historic District inventory of buildings, and certainly we cannot continue to apply the HPC criteria evenly across the entire district.   

Stratify the inventory and define the core of the district. Focus on getting the core to be the best historic district we can. Mobilize the petition signers to invest time and money with those home/property owners who want it. 

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The buildings on the fringe should have their fate left to the free enterprise system. If there really is support for a specific building and the economics work, it will take care of itself.

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